Variable weight resistance football training device

ABSTRACT

An exercise device comprises an inclined guide, a weight member supported for upward movement on the guide, structure responsive to upward movement of the weight member on the guide from a first position to a second position for abruptly increasing the load on the weight member, and structure responsive to movement of the weight member from the second position to a third position for abruptly further increasing the load on the weight member. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the load increasing structures comprise additional weight members slidably supported on the guide at the second and third positions. In accordance with another embodiment, the load increasing structures comprise preloaded springs mounted for engagement with the weight member at the second and third positions.

United States Patent [1 1 Jackson 1 Feb. 18, 1975 VARIABLE WEIGHT RESISTANCE FOOTBALL TRAINING DEVICE [75] Inventor: Donald W. Jackson, Metairie, La.

[73} Assignee: Bruce Boswell. Ft. Worth, Tex.; a

partinterest 221 Filed: May 24,1971

21 Appl.No.: 146,254

Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner-Theatrice Brown Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Richards, Harris & Medlnnk [57] ABSTRACT An exercise device comprises an inclined guide, a weight member supported for upward movement on the guide, structure responsive to upward movement of the weight member on the guide from a first position to a second position for abruptly increasing the load on the weight member, and structure responsive to movement of the weight member from the second position to a third position for abruptly further increasing the load on the weight member. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention,v the load increasing structures comprise additional weight members slidably supported on the guide at the second and third positions. In accordance with another embodiment, the load increasing structures comprise preloaded springs mounted for engagement with the 7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures P/JENTEU F551 8 i975 SHEET 10F 3 INVENTOR DONALD w JACKSON flvhwd 4 w ATTORNEYS PMWTEU i W 1 8 ii- 5 SHEET 2 OF 3 INVENTOR DONALD W. JACKSON FIG. 2

ATTORNEYS PATENTEU FEB I 8W5 snmanr INVENTOR DONALD W. JACKSON ZZMMM W-L FIG. 4

ATTORNEYS VARIABLE WEIGHT RESISTANCE FOOTBALL TRAINING DEVICE BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an exercise device, and more particularly to an exercise device for teaching and developing the specific physical attributes that are required of offensive linemen in football.

To be successful in the game of football, an athlete must develop the strengths necessary to play his position, confidence in his ability to play his position, sufficient flexibility to permit him to move quickly, and endurance or stamina. In this connection, one of the most difficult positions to teach and learn is that of offensive lineman. This is because the strengths and movements that must be developed in order to properly block an opponent are almost completely foreign to an athlete. Heretofore, blocking skills have been taught with the aid of a variety of devices, including blocking sleds, fixed and movable dummies, and conventional weight lifting apparatus. For various reasons, each of these devices is less than wholly satisfactory insofar as the development of the strength and skills needed by an offensive lineman are concerned.

For example, blocking sleds and dummies are not conveniently used indoors, and are not readily adjusted to the physical limitations of a particular athlete. Furthermore, various athletic conferences, etc., prohibit the use of blocking sleds and dummies before and after spring training. Ordinary weight lifting devices are capable of developing specific muscles but cannot be used to teach the lunging motion that is necessary in blocking. Also, most conventional weight lifting exercises are limited by the relatively weak muscles in the wrists and ankles of an athlete, and therefore do not function to adequately develop the large muscles of the back and thighs which are the principal muscles used in blocking.

The present invention comprises an exercise device which overcomes the foregoing and other disadvantages that are characteristic of the prior art. In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, a weight member is mounted for upward movement on an inclined grade. An athlete assumes a crouching position and then pushes the weight member up the inclined guide with his shoulders. When the weight member has been moved upwardly on the guide a predetermined distance, the resistance to further upward movement of the weight member is abruptly increased. By

this means, the athlete develops all of the strengths and skills necessary in properly blocking an opponent.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the Drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown an exercise device 10 incorporating the present invention. The exercise device 10 comprises a frame 12 including a pair of bottom rails 14 which support an inclined footrest 16. A pair of inclined top rails 18 are supported on the bottom rails 14 by a pair of relatively short front rails 20 and a pair of relatively long rear rails 22. A plurality of cross braces 24 extend horizontally between the various rails comprising the frame 12.

The frame 12 supports a pair of spaced, parallel guides 26. Three weight members 28, 30, and 32 are in .turn slidably supported on the guides 26 for upward movement against the action of gravity. The weight member 28 is provided with a pair of padded shoulder contacts 34 and a pair of handholds 36. The weight members 30 and 32, on theother hand, are equipped with pairs of posts 38 and 40, respectively, which receive annular weights 42 of the type commonly used with barbells, and the like.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the weight member 28 is normally positioned as shown by a pair of stops 44 mounted on the guides 26. The stops 44 are provided with thumb screws 46, whereby the normal position of the weight member 28 may be adjusted relative to the frame 12. A rail 48 extends between the upper cross braces 24 parallel to the upper rails 18, and is provided with upper and lower laterally projecting stops 50 and 52. The stops 50 and 52 engage downwardly projecting fingers 54 and 56 on the weight members 30 and 32, respectively, to limit downward movement of the members 30 and 32 on the guides 26. Like the stops 44, the stops 50 and 52 are provided with thumb screws 58 whereby the normal positions of the members 30 and 32 may be adjusted. It will be noted that the finger 54 of the weight member 30 is positioned on the opposite side of the rail 48 from the finger 56 of the weight member 32. By this means, upward movement of the weight member 30 beyond the stop 52 is permitted.

A pair of rods 60 are secured to the weight member 28 and extend therefrom through the weight members 30 and 32. A pair of coil springs 62 are mounted on the rods 60 between the weight member 28 and the weight member 30, and a pair of coil springs 64 are mounted on the rods 60 between the weight members 30 and 32. Similarly, a pair of bumpers 66 are mounted on the -weight member 28 and are positioned between the weight member 28 and the weight member 30, and a pair of bumpers 68 are mounted on the weight member '30 and are positioned between the weight members 30 and 32. Thus, when the weight member 28 is moved upwardly the rods 60 slide through the weight members 30 and 32 until the bumpers 66 on the weight member 28 engage the weight member 30, whereupon the bumpers 64 and the springs 62 cooperate to maintain a predetermined spacing between the weight member 28 and the weight member 30. Likewise, when the weight members 28 and 30 are thereafter moved upwardly on the guides 26, the rods 60 slide through the weight member 32 until the bumpers 68 on the weight member 30 engage the weight member 32, whereupon the bumpers 68 and the springs 64 cooperate to maintain a predetermined spacing between the weight member 30 and the weight member 32.

The use of the exercise device is illustrated in FIG. 3. An athlete A positions himself in the exercise device 10 by placing his feet on the inclined footrest l6, placing his shoulders in engagement-with the padded shoulder contacts 34, and gripping the handholds 36 with his hands. Due to the positioning of the footrest 16 on a line with but substantially beneath the lower ends of the guides 26, the athlete A is necessarily in a crouched position when his feet, shoulders and hands are so arranged.

The athlete A uses the exercise device 10 by pushing the weight member 28 upwardly on the guides 26 with his shoulders. During the initial movement of the weight member 28, the only force resisting upward movement of the weight member 28 on the guides 26 is the weight of the member 28. However, as soon as the weight'rnember28 engages the weight member 30, the force resisting the upward movement of the weight member 28 on the guides 26 is abruptly increased in that the weight of the member 30 and the annular weights 42 thereon is suddenly added to the weight of the member 28. Similarly,.when the weight member 30 subsequently engages the weight member 32, the force resisting upward movement of the weight member 28 is again abruptly increased in that the weight of the member 32 and the annular weights 42 thereon is suddenly added to the weight of the member 30, the weights 42 thereon and the weight of the member 28. Thus, in moving the weight member 28 upwardly on the guides 26, the athlete A experiences three distinct loading conditions, i.e., the load imposed by the weight of the member 28 alone, the load imposed by the weight of the member 28 plus the weight of the member 30 and the weights 42 thereon, and the load imposed by the weight of-the member 28 plus the weight of the weight member 30 and the weights 42 thereon plus the weight of the member 32 and the weights 42 thereon.

One of the mostimportant features of the present invention comprises the spatial relationship between the various component parts of the exercise device 10. As has been indicated, the footrest 16, the padded shoulder contacts 34 and the handholds 36 are so arranged that an athlete using the exercise device 10 is initially in a crouching position, i.e. the position of a football 1 lineman at the start of his charge. Because of this arrangement and the inclination of the guides 26, movement of the weight member 28 upwardly along the parallel guides 26 requires the same lunging motion that a lineman employs in blocking an opponent. The weight member 30 is positioned on the parallel guides 26 at a point corresponding to the point of contact between a lineman and an opponent. Thus, the use of the exercise device 10 develops exactly the same movements and strengths that are required in playing the position of lineman in the game of football.

As opposed to the position of the weight member 30, the position of the weight member 32 on the guides 26 does not correspond to a point of contact. Instead, the weight member 32 is employed to teach an athlete to make a complete follow through when blocking an opponent. Thus, in using the exercise device 10, an athlete first moves the weight member 28 into engagement with the weight member 30, and then moves the weight members 28 and 30 into engagement with the weight 4 member 32. By this means, the concept of blocking through an opponent is instilled in the athlete.

It will be appreciated that the use of the exercise device 10 is not limited by the strength of the relatively weak muscles of the ankles and wrists of an athlete, but instead depends almost entirely on the strength of the relatively large muscles in the back and thighs of the athlete. It is well established that the strength available from the back and thigh muscles is minimum when an athlete is in a crouching position and that the strength available from these muscles increases progressively as the athlete moves from a crouching position to a fully extended position. This fact establishes a second basic reason for the progressive loading characteristics of the exercise device 10, i.e., as the strength available from the large muscles in the back and thighs increases, the load imposed on an athlete using the exercise device 10 is correspondingly increased so that the strengths necessary in blocking an opponent are fully developed.

Those skilled in the art will realize that the exercise device 10 can be loaded in different'ways in accordance with the needs of particular athletes. Experience has shown that excellent overall training for football linemen is achieved when the weight members 28, 30, and 32 of the exercise device 10 are arranged to apply loads of ten pounds, thirty pounds, and ten pounds, respectively. On the other hand, either maximum quickness or maximum strength can'be developed by arranging the weight members 28, 30, and 32 to apply lesser or greater loads; Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown an exercise device comprising a second embodiment of the invention. The exercise device 110 includes a frame 1 12 which is constructed substantially identically to the frame 12 of the exercise device 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In particular, the frame 112 includes a pair of bottom rails 114 which support an inclined footrest 116, and a plurality of cross braces 124, only two of which are shown.

The frame112 of the exercise 'device 110 supports a pair of inclined guides 126 which extend at substantially the same angle as the guides 26 of the frame 10. A weight member 128 is slidablysupported on the inclined guides 126, and is provided with a pair of padded shoulder contacts 134 anda pair of handholds 136. The weight member 128 is normally positioned as shown in FIG. 4 by a pair of adjustable stops 144. Stops 144 are provided with thumb screws 146, whereby the normal position of the weighted member 128 may be adjusted relative to the frame 112. A pair of rails and 162 are supported by the uppermostcross braces 124 of the frame 112 and extend substantially parallel to the guides 126. The rail 160 supports a coil spring 164 which terminates in a plate 166, and the rail 162 supports a coil spring 168 which terminates ina plate 170. The springs 164 and 168 are normally preloaded against a pair of stops 172 and 174 mounted on the rails 160 and 162, respectively. A pair of spring engaging fingers 176 and 178 project downwardly from the weight member 128 and are provided with downwardly projecting bifurcations 180 having sufficient spacing to clear the stops 172 and 174.

The exercise device 1 10 shown in FIG. 4 is used similarly to the exercise device shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3. An athlete places his feet on the inclined footrest 116, places his shoulders against the padded shoulder contacts 134, and grips the handholds 136 with his hands. Thereafter the athlete pushes the weight member 128 upwardly on the guides 126 with his shoulders.

Initially, the only force resisting upward movement of the weight member 28 comprises the weight of the member 128. However, as soon as the finger 176 on the weight member 128 engages the plate 166 on the spring 164, the force resisting upward movement of the weight member 128 on the guides 126 is abruptly increased in that the preloaded force of the spring 164 is suddenly added to the weight of the member 128. Similarly, when the finger 176 subsequently engages the plate 170 on the spring 168, the force resisting upward movement of the weight member 128 on the guides 126 is once again abruptly increased in that the preloaded force of the spring 168 is suddenly added to the force of the spring 164 and the weight of the member 128. Thus, an athlete using the exercise device 110 experiences three distinct loading conditions in moving the weight member 128 up the guides 126, i.e., the load imposed by the weight of the member 128 alone, the load imposed by the weight of the member 128 plus the force due to the spring 164 and the load imposed by the weight of the member 128 plus the force due to the spring 164 plus the force due to the spring 168. By this means, the exercise device 110 operates substantially identically to the exercise device to develop the specific strengths and skills needed by a football lineman. From the foregoing, it will be understood that the present invention comprises an exercise device which is easily constructed from readily available materials and which functions to improve the specific strengths and skills that are required of an offensive lineman. More particularly, the present invention is particularly advantageous in developing the large muscles of the back and thighs that are used by linemen to block an opponent, in developing the lunging motion that is employed by a lineman, and in teaching the complete follow through that is necessary in blocking. The use of the invention is further advantageous in that the development of the large muscles in the back and thighs is not limited by the strength of the muscles in the wrists and ankles, in that an exercise device incorporating the invention is conveniently used indoors, and in that the use of exercise devices incorporating the invention is not prohibited by the rules of any athletic conference. Although particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated in the Drawings and described in the foregoing specification, it will be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed, but is capable of rearrangement, modifica tion and substitution of parts and elements without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is: 1. An exercise device comprising: a base member having a guide, said guide being upwardly inclined relative to said base member; a first member slidably supported on the guide for movement from a normal position upwardly along a predetermined path under direct muscular action of a user and against the action of gravity, said member presenting sufficient resistance to sliding movement to tax the muscles of the user; means responsive to movement of the first member through first and second predetermined distances upwardly along the path for abruptly applying additional forces to the member which further oppose movement of the member upwardly along the path,

said additional force applying means comprising:

a second member supported on the guide in the path of the first member for engagement by the first member upon movement thereof through the first predetermined distance and thereafter for movement with the first member upwardly along the guide; and

a third member supported on the guide for engagement by the second member only after movement of the first and second members through the second predetermined distance and thereafter for movement with the first and second members upwardly along the guide.

2. An exercise device comprising:

a frame including an upwardly inclined guide;

, a first member slidably supported on the guide for upward movement from a first position;

a second member slidably supported at a second position on the guide a predetermined distance from said first member for engagement by the first member and thereafter for upward movement with the first member from the second position, whereby the resistance to upward movement of the member under direct muscular action of a user on the guide is abruptly increased,'presenting sufficient resistance to sliding movement to tax the muscles of the user a predetermined distance from said first and second members; and

a third member slidably supported a predetermined distance from said first and second members on the guide for engagement by the second member only after movement of the first and second members from the second position to a third position, and

thereafter for upward'movement on the guide with the first and second members, whereby the resistance to upward movement of the member on the guide is again abruptly increased. 3. The exercise device according to claim 2 wherein the first member includes padded shoulder contacts and handholds, and wherein the second and third members include weight receiving means whereby the resistance to the upward movement of the first member on the guide may be varied.

4. The exercise device according to claim 3 wherein the frame further includes an inclined footrest positioned beneath and substantially in alignment with the guide.

5. An exercise device comprising:

a frame including an upwardly inclined guide defining a predetermined path;

a first member having a predetermined weight and being supported for sliding movement on the guide from a first position along the predetermined path under direct muscular action of a user, said first member having sufficient resistance to sliding movement to tax the muscles of the user;

a second member having a predetermined weight and being supported for engagement by the first member only after substantial movement thereof along the predetermined path and thereafter for movement with the first member along the predetermined path whereby the force resisting movement of the first member along the path is abruptly increased;

a third member having a predetermined weight and being supported for engagement by the second member only after substantial movement thereof normally positioning the second member at a second position on the guide which is spaced from the first position and for normally positioning the third member at a third position on the guide which is spaced'from the second position.

7. The exercise device according to claim 6 further including a footrest positioned beneath and substantially in alignment with the guide and wherein the first member further includes shoulder contacts and handholds. 

1. An exercise device comprising: a base member having a guide, said guide being upwardly inclined relative to said base member; a first member slidably supported on the guide for movement from a normal position upwardly along a predetermined path under direct muscular action of a user and against the action of gravity, said member presenting sufficient resistance to sliding movement to tax the muscles of the user; means responsive to movement of the first member through first and second predetermined distances upwardly along the path for abruptly applying additional forces to the member which further oppose movement of the member upwardly along the path, said additional force applying means comprising: a second member supported on the guide in the path of the first member for engagement by the first member upon movement thereof through the first predetermined distance and thereafter for movement with the first member upwardly along the guide; and a third member supported on the guide for engagement by the second member only after movement of the first and second members through the second predetermined distance and thereafter for movement with the first and second members upwardly along the guide.
 2. An exercise device comprising: a frame including an upwardly inclined guide; a first member slidably supported on the guide for upward movement from a first position; a second member slidably supported at a second position on the guide a predetermined distance from said first member for engagement by the first member and thereafter for upward movement with the first member from the second position, whereby the resistance to upward movement of the member under direct muscular action of a user on the guide is abruptly increased, presenting sufficient resistance to sliding movement to tax the muscles of the user a predetermined distance from said first and second members; and a third member slidably supported a predetermined distance from said first and second members on the guide for engagement by the second member only after movement of the first and second members from the second position to a third position, and thereafter for upward movement on the guide with the first and second members, whereby the resistance to upward movement of the member on the guide is again abruptly increased.
 3. The exercise device according to claim 2 wherein the first member includes padded shoulder contacts and handholds, and wherein the second and third members Include weight receiving means whereby the resistance to the upward movement of the first member on the guide may be varied.
 4. The exercise device according to claim 3 wherein the frame further includes an inclined footrest positioned beneath and substantially in alignment with the guide.
 5. An exercise device comprising: a frame including an upwardly inclined guide defining a predetermined path; a first member having a predetermined weight and being supported for sliding movement on the guide from a first position along the predetermined path under direct muscular action of a user, said first member having sufficient resistance to sliding movement to tax the muscles of the user; a second member having a predetermined weight and being supported for engagement by the first member only after substantial movement thereof along the predetermined path and thereafter for movement with the first member along the predetermined path whereby the force resisting movement of the first member along the path is abruptly increased; a third member having a predetermined weight and being supported for engagement by the second member only after substantial movement thereof along the predetermined path and thereafter for movement with the first and second members along the predetermined path whereby the force resisting movement of the first member along the path is further abruptly increased; and said second and third members each further including means for retaining thereon additional weights.
 6. The exercise device according to claim 5 wherein the first, second, and third members are urged to move downwardly on the guide by the action of gravity, and further including means for normally positioning the first member at the first position on the guide and for normally positioning the second member at a second position on the guide which is spaced from the first position and for normally positioning the third member at a third position on the guide which is spaced from the second position.
 7. The exercise device according to claim 6 further including a footrest positioned beneath and substantially in alignment with the guide and wherein the first member further includes shoulder contacts and handholds. 